The Florida Gators’ top target to replace Billy Napier as the program’s head coach is undoubtedly Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin.
Florida’s pursuit of Kiffin, however, is complicated.
The LSU Tigers are also pursuing Kiffin for their head coach opening. Ole Miss, meanwhile, is trying to keep Kiffin in Oxford.
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Further complicating the situation is the fact that Kiffin has Ole Miss in position to make a deep College Football Playoff run, which makes the timing difficult to navigate for the programs involved.
Due to the uncertainty surrounding Kiffin, Florida has continued to vet other candidates.
Florida is reportedly out on Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz as a head coach option and it’s probably because of Tennessee
One of the head coach options not named Lane Kiffin that Florida has shown interest in is Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz.
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Drinkwitz is in his sixth season as the head coach at Missouri. The Tigers are 28-8 under Drinkwitz since the start of the 2023 season (which is when he gave up offensive play-calling duties).
Florida, however, is out on Drinkwitz, according to a report from Gators Online.
And it’s not because the Gators don’t like Drinkwitz — it’s because Florida is concerned about the reaction from fans if he’s the hire.
“Multiple sources tell Gators Online that Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz is no longer considered one of the top candidates for the job,” noted Gators Online’s Zach Abolverdi on Friday. “Things are subject to change, but that’s what we’re hearing as of now. While UF vetted Drinkwitz and likes him, multiple sources say the school recognizes that his hire would not go over well with the fan base.”
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Drinkwitz is a successful SEC coach who nearly led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff last season. I understand he’s not the top choice (because he’s not Lane Kiffin), but he’s done really well at a place where it’s not easy to win. I don’t know how Drinkwitz would fare at Florida, but he has a solid track record in the SEC that suggests he could do well in Gainesville.
Florida, however, must get the sense that fans wouldn’t like the hire. So they don’t even want to go down that road.
You can’t help but think that’s because of the Tennessee Vols and their attempted hire of Greg Schiano in 2017 that led to a massive fan revolt on Rocky Top.
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The scene from Schiano Sunday is one that college football fans will remember forever — an unprecedented moment that literally reversed a coaching hire.
Nov 26, 2017; Knoxville, TN, USA; A Tennessee Volunteers fan who wished to remain unidentified holds a sign reading \”SchiaNO\” during a gathering of Volunteers fans outside of Neyland Stadium reacting to the possible hiring of Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Greg Schiano for the Volunteers head coaching position. Mandatory Credit: Calvin Mattheis/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK
Florida clearly doesn’t want to go through something similar in Gainesville with their next hire.
10 years ago, it would’ve been unthinkable to suggest that a fan base could reverse a hire (Schiano even signed an memorandum of understanding with Tennessee, but the chancellor didn’t sign it). But thanks to the Vols, it’s now a scenario that athletic directors in the SEC have to worry about when making a hire.
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Leave it to Tennessee fans to set the standard in a coaching search.
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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Nashville section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.